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Sandpoint seeks state funds for City Beach and RV park upgrades; applications include $600,000 WIF and $950,000 RV grant

2231940 · February 6, 2025

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Summary

City staff applied for two state grants to fund phased improvements at City Beach and upgrades to the city RV park; staff reported matches and the grants' funding sources.

Planning and Community Development Director Jason Welker told the council on Feb. 5 that the city submitted two state grant applications to improve City Beach infrastructure and the municipal RV park.

Welker said the city applied to the Idaho Waterways Improvement Fund (WIF) for $600,000 and offered a $100,000 local match. The WIF application proposes a three‑phase investment at City Beach: phase 1 to rehabilitate and expand parking facilities (including stormwater work), phase 2 to resurface boat ramps and piers, and phase 3 to upgrade docks on the west side of the beach. "We applied for $600,000 and provided a $100,000 match," Welker said. He added the Bonner County Waterways Advisory Committee unanimously supported the application and will review grant applications in March.

Welker also said the city applied to the state RV fund for $950,000 with a $50,000 match to upgrade the city RV park, which he said generates more than $100,000 annually for the city. "If we do not receive that grant, we can maintain it in its current state and make small improvements," Welker said. He said the city prioritized the WIF parking‑lot application by offering a larger local match to improve the project's review score.

Welker explained the grant funding sources: the WIF derives from boater registrations in Idaho and the RV fund is financed from Idaho RV registrations. He said the city expects award notifications in late April or May.

Why it matters: If funded, the WIF and RV grants would fund capital improvements at a popular recreational shoreline and at a revenue‑generating city amenity, affecting tourism and stormwater management at City Beach.

No formal council action on the grant awards occurred at the Feb. 5 meeting; Welker said staff will return with project details should the grants be awarded.